Forum | MyTime Calendars

admin on Toddler Laws of Property...

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 12:37:56 +0000

If I like it, it's mine.
If it's in my hand, it's mine.
If I had it a little while ago, it's mine.
If it looks just like mine, it's mine.
If I think it's mine, it's mine!

Stacy on Does the weather scare your kids? ...Does it scare you?

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 15:30:54 +0000

I can totally relate! What's worse is that as the level of fear rises in a family, it transfers to pets as well. So - everyone kind of feeds on each other's fear.

Personally, I have found that Enya and a nice hot cup of tea does wonders to help calm nerves and "soothe the savage beasts".

admin on Does the weather scare your kids? ...Does it scare you?

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 01:19:42 +0000

Hit your space bar if the Arizona monsoons make you shake in your boots just a little! It looks like the first of the season is just rolling through my neighborhood tonight and let me tell you, it can be a little nerve wracking! I saw the thunderheads building in the distance and new we would be in for quite a storm tonight so I started our bedtime routine a little earlier than usual. Thankfully, my kids all crashed out before the howling wind started pounding their windows and shaking their screens! Unfortunately for their brave and ever so courageous mother...I will be curling up under my covers with my hubby and my dog for comfort as we listen to the storm wreck our pristine yard! As parents, we are sometimes called upon to offer comfort to our kids in these scary moments. My husbands nephew was being just so comforted by his dad one night during a monsoon storm. They were looking out the front window across the street. As his dad was assuring him that the lighting won't hurt him, a bolt of lighting apparently struck the palm tree across the yard with sparking results! As if parenting isn't hard enough, we have to be mocked by the weather! Sheesh! I love a great storm but even though I can appreciate them for the blessing they are to the parched valley, they still can make me a bit nervous and generally terrorize my children around bedtime! I learned last year that unless I wanted to have a campout in my bed with all four of my kids (and my scaredy-cat dog), then I'd better plan ahead when I see those stormheads roll in by getting my brood into dreamland quickly! Share some of your stories! What do you do to help your kids understand and not be overly fearful of the weather? Or is a little fear a healthy thing?...

Trevor on Weekly Family Night

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 09:52:20 +0000

How often do you spend time together with your entire family?

I have found with my kids that when they start acting up is directly correlated to how much time we have spent together as a family. We started a weekly family night where we talk (as a family) on ideas for the next family night and then vote on the next activity to do together. The point here is to have fun with your kids. The activities can be simple and inexpensive to extravagant depending on your time that week and your budget.

Some examples of our family night activities include:

1) Flashlight tag - Turn off all of the lights in the house and select a home base. The person who is it gets a flashlight and counts to 10 to allow everyone to hide. They then search the house with the flashlight and if they shine on you your out. If you can sneak back to the home base without the light hitting you then you win.

2) Backwards dinner - Start with desert and eat a meal in reverse

3) Puzzle/game night - Simply play games together.

4) Bowling night

Remember the point is enjoy your children and open lines of communication.

Have fun!

admin on Have a "Parent Date" with your toddler

Sat, 13 Jun 2009 16:21:38 +0000

Have you been on a "parent date" with your child recently? If not, then this could be part of the problem. With my own toddlers, I have found that their behavior is at its worst when they feel they are not being heard or when they are not a big enough part of my world. We remedy this by having a "mommy date day" or a "daddy date day" where we orchestrate a few hours to be one on one with that child. The "dates" don't have to be elaborate...sometime it's just spending an hour or two playing barbies or building train sets. But it is one on one time with that child doing something they requested to do with you. It is important to let them pick the activity (of course, you may have to gently guide them to low budget ideas!). For that time, they are the center of your world and they know it!

Try this out for a month and let us know how your experiment goes. If it is anything like ours has been, you will happily make these "date days" a regular part of your monthly routine for each of your kids.